Three people killed and multiple injured, including police officers, in high-rise gunfire near convention centre.
Shooting at a high-rise apartment building in downtown Minneapolis left three people dead, including the suspected gunman, and injured several others, among them three police officers, authorities said on Wednesday.
The incident unfolded on the afternoon of 2 September at Loring Towers, a residential complex at 15 East Grant Street in the Loring Park neighbourhood, close to the Minneapolis Convention Center. Police responded to multiple 911 calls reporting gunfire shortly after 4:30pm local time.
Officers arrived within minutes of the first call, which indicated that one person had been shot. Additional callers reported ongoing gunfire. Upon entering the building, officers encountered victims and heard further shots. They followed the sound to an upper floor, where visibility was significantly limited by a haze, according to Minneapolis Police Sergeant Garrett Parten.
Minneapolis Shooting Leaves 2 Dead, 3 Officers Injured:
Two civilians were killed-one at the scene and another after being taken to Hennepin County Medical Center. The suspected shooter was also found dead. Authorities initially said it was unclear how the suspect died, though law enforcement sources later indicated a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police have not publicly named the suspect, though multiple sources identified him as 35-year-old Carlton Neal Johnson (also reported as Carlton Johnson II). Officials said police were familiar with the individual. Some reports linked the violence to an earlier disturbance involving a possible eviction from the building that same day.
Three Minneapolis police officers were injured during the response. Two sustained gunshot wounds-one to the leg that was not life-threatening, and another who was struck in the abdomen and underwent surgery. A third officer suffered a non-gunshot injury. All three were reported in stable condition and expected to recover fully. At least three other civilians were also wounded and treated at hospital.
Interim Minneapolis Police Chief Bill Peterson described the scene as “tremendously tragic” and said officers exchanged gunfire with the shooter while working to rescue victims. “This afternoon, a tragic scene has unfolded that has impacted numerous lives,” Parten said at a news conference.
Witnesses Recall Moments of Chaos:
Witnesses described chaos outside and inside the building. Resident Julius Bailey said he was sitting outside when he heard gunshots and saw a man he recognised as a resident holding a pistol. He heard a woman screaming and counted about eight shots before running away. “I could tell he was trouble,” Bailey said, adding that he had tried to avoid the man since moving into the building. Another resident, Chris Miller, reported hearing a rapid succession of gunshots and fleeing outdoors for safety.
City officials urged the public to avoid the area as a large police presence secured the scene. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is assisting with the investigation. The shooting is the latest episode of gun violence in the Twin Cities area, occurring in a residential high-rise that houses many long-term residents. Local leaders expressed grief over the loss of life and injuries to both civilians and first responders.